Publications
DigiSEV - Digitalization of the organization of short-term rail replacement transport services
"In a project lasting around two and a half years, Fraunhofer IML, the Bayerische Oberlandbahn as well as Catenate GmbH and Lange & Fendel GmbH are developing a customer- and provider-friendly system for ordering and processing short-term rail replacement services in rail passenger transport.
Disruptions to operations and train cancellations lead to high levels of dissatisfaction with transport performance among passengers. Above all, unplanned and unforeseeable disruptions require long waiting times and a lot of organizational effort for the railway company. In order to ensure the onward transport of passengers to their destination, a replacement rail service with buses or taxis is usually set up. Today, this mostly happens over the phone, creating a long and non-transparent chain of information between the actors involved. There are bottlenecks, especially at peak times, for example during school transport times in the morning and at lunchtime, as the bus companies' capacities are at full capacity. Bus operators often do not have exact knowledge of the current utilization and free capacities, so this information must first be obtained from the bus drivers or subcontractors.
For this reason, the research project “Digitization of the organization of short-term rail replacement transport services” (DigiSEV) aims to develop solutions for faster order processing and customer information. The project is currently in the conception and programming of inquiry, feedback and commissioning processes for SEV providers. Customer communication and the steps for billing the deployment are currently being designed by Fraunhofer IML."
Source: www.iml.fraunhofer.de
Research project to give rail replacement services a boost
"Lack of passenger information and unreliable alternative transport are mentioned again and again when it comes to criticism of BOB and Meridian. The Bayerische Oberlandbahn now wants to tackle this problem with a research project.
Holzkirchen – As the company based in Holzkirchen reports, it is working with the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) as well as the software companies Catenate GmbH and Lange & Fendel GmbH together.
The central goals are digitalization and automation in the short-term ordering of rail replacement services in the event of unplanned train cancellations, which should therefore be processed more quickly and effectively, as well as rapid information for passengers. According to BOB, the research project, in which a prototype is also to be developed, is financed by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology (StMWi) and the Bavarian Digitalization Center, an initiative of the state government.
As the BOB reports, the aim of the research project is to digitalize the ordering of alternative means of transport in the event of short-term train cancellations, so that processing can be planned digitally, faster and more resource-efficient. Passengers benefit from this as they are better informed and get to their destination more quickly."
Source: www.merkur.de, created on May 20, 2019
Meridian, BOB, BRB: Wenn aus Zug Bus werden muss
"Bayerische Oberlandbahn GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), Catenate GmbH and Lange & Fendel GmbH shed light on the organizational process for ordering and processing short-term rail replacement services (SEV). This is necessary in the event of unplanned train cancellations. With the help of the research project, the Ordering alternative means of transport can be digitized so that processing can be planned digitally, is faster and more resource-efficient. This benefits passengers, who are better informed and get to their destination more quickly.
If a train journey has to be aborted, passengers will quickly find an alternative travel option. Buses are commonly ordered as a short-term replacement for rail transport, which is interrupted, for example, due to ad hoc disruptions to the infrastructure or vehicles. For passengers, however, the interruption of their journey means a loss of both time and comfort.
In order to check how the establishment of a short-term SEV can be better organized and carried out in the future, Bayerische Oberlandbahn GmbH, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) and the software partners Catenate GmbH and Lange & Fendel GmbH a research project. As part of this research project, the partners are analyzing the underlying core process for organizing short-term rail replacement services and its optimization potential. The research project is financed by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology (StMWi) and by the Center for Digitalization. Bavaria, an initiative of the Bavarian State Government."
Source: www.brb.de, created on May 16, 2019